The Impact of Video Gaming on Society
Video games are increasing in popularity and are now considered to be one of the most popular pastimes for children and adults alike. There are an estimated quarter of a million people who play video games on a daily basis. Most video games are played on personal computers, handheld game consoles such as Nintendo Wii and Sony PlayStation, and mobile devices such as smart phones and Blackberrys. There are more people playing video games than ever before. Some of the most popular games include Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, World of Warcraft, and God of War.
A computer or video game is a video interactive system that entails interaction with a user interface (game console) or input device, including a joystick, hand-held controller, motion detecting device, or keyboard. The player uses a keyboard to manipulate game objects such as character and object graphics, sounds, and physical interactions with the game environment. There is great demand for video games from around the world. In fact, in North America alone, according to IDC stats, sales of video games and the related merchandise are expected to reach $50 billion dollars in 2021.
The rapid growth of video gaming shows no sign of slowing down, and there is a tremendous amount of interest from people of all ages. Many adults who were not interested in gaming when they were younger have become highly interested since they have been introduced. Many adults who used to only play video games as a family have taken to gaming casually themselves. The demographics of gamers are also changing, with more adult gamers and children playing video gaming than in previous generations.
Some analysts believe that the rapid growth of this new type of entertainment is due to increased levels of stress and anxiety from modern day living. Gamers are often immersed in highly detailed and highly realistic worlds, which are very different from the quiet solace of home. For this reason, video games can provide an outlet for people to escape the pressures of everyday life. One study showed that gamers are less stressed than non-gamers. This would seem to indicate that video games could be used as an effective stress buster.
One thing that all video games have in common is the ability to interact with others. In fact, studies show that playing multiplayer online role playing games has a similar impact on the brain as playing with other people in person. The reason is that humans are very visual, and playing a game requires a lot of eye contact between players. Gamers are able to focus on the game at hand and participate in what is known as “social interaction.”
Gaming seems to be here to stay. It has certainly changed the way we live our lives in many ways, and continues to influence society in many ways. For many, video games offer an outlet to escape the stresses of everyday life, and for some, it provides an opportunity to build skills that will be useful in real life.